What we look for

What attributes we look for … and why

Ask any consulting firm or investment bank what kind of people they look for. Most likely you will hear some variation on five themes:

• Extremely smart
• Analytical
• Good with People
• Highly motivated
• Works well in teams

Big surprise. Everyone is looking for the same type of candidate. We are clearly looking for the best candidates from the best schools. But aside from platitudes, what does it mean to be “the best candidate”? For us, best usually means the following:

• High “get–it” quotient
• Clock speed: How fast are you smart?
• Problem solving obsession and tenacity
• Confidence in the work you produce
• Comfort in the absence of structure
• Intense self–discipline and intellectual productivity
• Objectivity, without loss of the objective
• Relentless determination
• Social grace, self–assurance and diverse interests
• Demonstrated achievement and leadership
• Decisiveness: Ability to develop hypotheses without waiting for all of the data